Kontakt 2008, 10(1):105-111 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2008.015

Communication parameters in the work of laboratory technicianHealth and Social Sciences

Růžena Bergerová

Vysoká škola technická a ekonomická v Českých Budějovicích

Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích, Zdravotně sociální fakulta, katedra klinických oborů

It is important for each participant to exhibit not only good professional skills but also good communication skills. However, basic communication skills are often not taught at all at the level of high school, or at best very little. As a result, the Universities in Czech Republic have recently started to address this problem by introducing more practical courses aimed at communication. One such course, aimed at laboratory technicians, is also being developed at the Faculty of Health and Social sciences in Ceske Budejovice. Professional communication of laboratory technician includes three aspects: communication with external professional world, communication among peers in the same profession at his/her workplace (among colleagues, superiors, etc), communication with patient, and communication connected with obtaining new professional and research information. Successful communication of laboratory technician towards the patient is influenced by the following factors: use of appropriate language code, correct choice of paralingual methods, conscious use of nonverbal communication, and knowledge and respect of different interpretations of nonverbal communications by patients from different geographical locations (such as outside of the country), and respect of specific patients (their current health status, sex, etc). It is also important to realize that the laboratory technician must overcome so-called "intimate zone" when using "functional touches". Success in professional communication can be influenced by a number of factors, including age, education, experience, and nature of the person. However, professional communication should never be influenced by current mood, private problems or by refusing certain types of patients.

Keywords: success in professional communication; laboratory technician; patient; verbal communication; nonverbal communication

Received: March 10, 2008; Accepted: March 10, 2008; Prepublished online: June 27, 2008; Published: July 27, 2008  Show citation